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The Enormity of Life is a 2021 American romantic comedy-drama film, written and directed by Eric Swinderman and starring Breckin Meyer, Emily Kinney, and Giselle Eisenberg. The film centers on Casey Dombrowski (Meyer), a despondent bipolar man on the brink of suicide whose final plans are interrupted by an eccentric lawyer with news of a substantial inheritance. With newfound wealth, Casey meets a struggling single mother (Kinney) with a troubled young daughter (Eisenberg), obsessed with school shootings. Together they embark on a journey of hope and healing.

It was an official selection of the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

Plot
As his life hits rock bottom, emotionally despondent Casey decides to end it all, But a faulty ceiling fan and a timely phone call with some unexpected news interrupts his attempt at ending his life.

After meeting with an eccentric lawyer, he learns a long lost relative has left him a small fortune in her will. Unsure how to handle the “good news” Casey considers setting the check on fire, that is until he meets Jess, a struggling single mom living next door who he inadvertently gets fired from her job after a fight with her abusive boss.

His entire life, to escape his dysfunctional family, which includes a mentally unstable mother and a selfish scheming sister, Casey has fortified emotional walls and as a result, has difficulty forging adult relationships.

Despite all of this he forms an unexpected bond with his Jess and her precocious young daughter, Jules, who has an obsession with mass shootings. Over the next few days, the trio embarks on an emotional journey of self-discovery and healing.

However, Casey’s individual growth is put on hold when his erratic sister Missy informs him that their mentally ill mother is missing. Casey must now help locate his mother—whose illness and instability are largely responsible for his tragic childhood.

Once his mother has been located, Casey learns she is being charged with attempted murder for trying to kill a patient while in an episode of psychosis. Casey now has to make an impossible decision regarding the fate of his mother. In order to relieve himself of the neverending responsibility of caring for his mother and move on from the past, he makes a lucrative deal with Missy.

On the way home from the hospital, a road sign catches Jules’ eye; she forces Casey and her mom to stop the car. She recognizes the name of the town as having been one where a school shooting took place and insists that they take her to meet one of the survivors, a girl her age. Jules finds comfort in knowledge, so Casey and Jess agree. Through this experience, Jules forms a friendship with the young girl— who has already lived through her biggest fears, giving Jules’ a new perspective. They spend the night at the girl’s home, and during this time Casey and Jess’s deepen their relationship.

After their trip, an emotionally exhausted Casey returns home to an empty apartment that still contains the aftermath of his suicide attempt. Away from his new friends and alone with his thoughts Casey must look deep within himself to decide if money, love and the removal of the burden of his mother’s care is enough to finally find peace and happiness. Casey, Jess and Jules, having gone through this intense emotional episode now gain new perspectives on life and finally, in their own ways, move on towards the future.

Cast

 * Breckin Meyer as Casey Dombrowski, a depressed, suicidal young man struggling with life with bipolar disorder. Having watched his own mother come in and out of her own psychotic episodes and feeling abandoned at a young age by his older sister, Casey decides to make the ultimate final decision, only to be interrupted by a life he isn't sure he wants.
 * Emily Kinney as Jess, a quirky struggling waitress and single mom to an eleven year old daughter with a habit of fixating on tragic events.
 * Giselle Eisenberg as Jules, a troubled young girl convinced her ultimate will lead her to losing her life in a mass shooting. Jules is highly intelligent but uses most of her time memorizing mass shooting facts and statistics.
 * Debra Herzog as Missy, Casey's sister and the bane of his existence. She left when Casey was a young boy, forcing him to take care of their mentally unstable mother. Missy comes calling when she learns of Casey's newfound fortune.
 * Allen O'Reilly as Abe Berkman, an eccentric and highly inappropriate attorney who helps Casey with his inheritance. In one instance Abe tricks Casey into thinking he must perform a sexual act to receive his windfall.
 * Bryant Carroll as Randy, Jess' abusive and misogynistic boss at the diner where she works. Casey inadvertently gets Jess fired after an honor-defedning altercation with Randy.
 * Aubrey Stone as Emily Richman, a paralyzed school shooting victim that Casey, Jess and Jules visit. Emily helps Jules realize her greatest fears might not be all they're cracked up to be.

Production
''The Enormity of Life' is Swinderman's second feature, directing and writing. The title of the film was originally intended to be Anhedonia, in reference to Meyer's character's mental condition but it changed because Shoreline felt that not enough people knew what it meant. The film's release was delayed significantly by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic which prevented it from screening at any major film festivals.

The Enormity of Life was filmed over 21 days in May 2018, with re-shoots year later in 2019 after some festivals were concerned about the film's dark subject matter. Most of the film was shot on location in Swinderman's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, with filming also taking place at Lakewood, Middleburg Heights, Elyria, New Philadelphia, Lorain and Rocky River.

Swinderman has cited such films as Harold and Maude, Garden State, Away We Go and Inside Llewyn Davis as influences on The Enormity of Life.

Music
The music that accompanied the film was hand-picked by Swinderman, including songs by Kodaline and an original song by a northeast Ohio band called By Light We Loom.

Controversial Topics
The film delves into such subjects as suicide, including a graphic depiction of a hanging, as well as a dream sequence depicting an active school shooter with an AR-15.

Release
The film debuts on Apple TV Google Play FandangoNOW and Vimeo on Demand on Tuesday April 6, 2021 and is being distributed by Shoreline Entertainment.

Home media release
The film is also available on DVD and Bluray.